Where to Stay in Hungary: Best Towns and Hotels

Siófok, Balatonfüred and Keszthely

Hungary's summer lake. Siófok on the south shore is known for its beaches and crowds, Balatonfüred on the north shore for a calmer promenade and the wineries around it; Keszthely at the western end has the Festetics Palace, and Hévíz a few kilometres away has its thermal lake.

Keszthely is about 2.5 hours by train, Hévíz close to 3 hours by bus (MÁV, October 2026). Tihany sits on a peninsula on the north shore; for Siófok, Keszthely and Tihany hotels around Hungary's big lake, the link below opens every hotel on Balaton.

• Siófok on the south shore, Balatonfüred and Tihany on the north, Keszthely and Hévíz at the western end
• From Budapest Déli station: about 1 hour 20 minutes by train to Siófok, 1 hour 50 minutes to Balatonfüred
• 4,835 properties on Booking in the region

Best for: A summer lake holiday; the thermal lake at Hévíz

From Budapest: Siófok: about 1 hour 20 minutes by train; Keszthely: 2.5 hours

Szentendre, Visegrád and Esztergom

The stretch north of Budapest where the Danube bends and turns south. Szentendre is known as an artists' town with the Skanzen open air museum, Visegrád for its hilltop castle, and Esztergom for its basilica, the largest church in Hungary.

All three are close enough for a day trip; stay a night if you want them quiet in the evening. Hotels in Visegrád (Visegrad), Hungary sit below the castle along the river; the link below opens the whole Danube Bend list.

• Szentendre: about 40 minutes on the H5 HÉV from Batthyány tér (BKK, October 2026)
• Esztergom: about 1 hour 5 minutes by train from Nyugati station (MÁV, October 2026)
• 462 properties on Booking in the Danube Bend

Best for: A quiet small town close to Budapest, a castle and a basilica

From Budapest: Szentendre: about 40 minutes by HÉV; Esztergom: 1 hour by train

Northern Hungary

A small baroque town under its castle, walkable end to end, with thermal baths near the centre. Eger is also one of Hungary's best known wine towns: the Valley of the Beautiful Women (Szépasszony-völgy) is lined with cellars where you can taste Egri Bikavér, or Bull's Blood.

The round trip is four hours on the train, so a night makes more sense than a day trip (MÁV, October 2026).

• Eger Castle, a baroque centre and an Ottoman era minaret
• About 2 hours by direct train from Budapest Keleti
• 402 properties on Booking

Best for: A castle, a baroque centre, thermal baths and wine cellars

From Budapest: About 2 hours by train

Eastern Hungary

A university city in the east; the Great Reformed Church on the main square is its landmark. It is also the nearest big city to Hortobágy National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is far for a day trip from Budapest; if you are heading east, it is a place for a night or two (MÁV, October 2026).

• Hungary's second largest city
• About 2 hours 45 minutes from Budapest by train
• 359 properties on Booking

Best for: Eastern Hungary and Hortobágy National Park

From Budapest: About 2 hours 45 minutes by train

Western Hungary

A baroque old town where rivers meet, right on the line between Vienna and Budapest. If you are travelling between the two capitals by train and want to break the journey, Győr is an easy stop for one night (MÁV, October 2026). The Győr (Gyor) hotels in Hungary we list below come from Booking's most booked ranking for the town.

• On the railway line between Vienna and Budapest
• About 1 hour 10 minutes by train from Budapest Kelenföld
• 201 properties on Booking

Best for: Breaking a Vienna to Budapest train trip

From Budapest: About 1 hour 10 minutes by train